I was never a Royal's Chaser. I can still remember my college roommate being aghast when I told her I didn't know who Wallis Simpson was or what trouble she caused the British Monarchy. But my interest was peaked when I read that Queen Elizabeth II has a longtime body double. My sick mind quickly went to assassination attempts and thoughts of surely I would have remembered hearing about such plots.
It turns out that leaders have historically used body doubles to thwart would-be assassins, but Queen Elizabeth II’s double serves a different — and significantly less bloody — purpose. A big part of being the queen of the United Kingdom is simply showing up. Whether opening a hospital or hosting a foreign dignitary, the queen is always busy. A majority of her events require rehearsals, and that’s where Ella Slack comes in. Although she doesn’t look like her majesty, Slack is about the same height and build, so if an event needs to test camera angles or see if the sun will be in the queen’s eyes, Slack is the person for the task.
Slack first got the job while working for the BBC’s events department in the 1980s. Since then, she has stood in for the queen more than 50 times, including riding in the royal carriage and attending rehearsals for the opening of Parliament. However, Slack doesn’t get to enjoy all the comforts of royalty. As a strict rule, she’s never allowed to sit on the throne in the House of Lords and instead just '"lurks" above it. Slack is never paid for her stand-in efforts, but considers her role “a pleasure and an honor.” And she still tries to look the part: For the queen’s millennium celebration, Slack purchased a fake diamond necklace and a £2 handbag. God save the queen — real and fake.
Look at this Beauty made with Cherry Opal and Jasper and some new Sari Pins. Click Pic for more details:
0 comments